Solar panels yet to be connected to Mayo council houses after six years

A west Mayo councillor has claimed that solar panels on social housing have not been switched on since tenants moved in six years ago.

Independent councillor John O'Malley told the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council that he is aware of ten houses in Kilmeena which have solar panels that have never been turned on. He claimed that the residents were not aware they were turned on until they started to get high electricity bills.

“There are ten houses in Kilmeena and the solar panels were put on the roof for six years but never connected to this day. They are paying more for electricity to heat their houses than people around them who have no solar panels at all.

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“Those solar panels were never connected and I don't know why the houses were handed over to the people and the solar panels were not connected. The people did not know until they were getting high bills and they were sitting on the roof doing nothing,” he said.

The Carrowholly-based councillor told the meeting that he has raised the matter with council officials in the area but nothing is being done about it.

“I have tried and contacted officials but nothing has happened. Every day I am getting phone calls about it. It is not good enough and I want something done about it immediately,” he said.

Director of Services, Tom Gilligan told Cllr O'Malley that he was not aware of solar panels not connected to houses but will investigate the matter and come back to him with a reply.